The two currents, the current of the drawing, which can be called classical, and the colorist, traverse part of the history of European painting under different names according to the epochs.

The classical current is mainly characterized by the precision of the drawing, the fineness of the paint touch, the completion of the painting. Then comes a relative sobriety of colors. The classical current also prefers, in principle, the moderation in the expression of feelings and a certain restraint in the movement. But the link is not direct between the substance and the form. Baroque or romantic themes can be treated in a classic way. Similarly, classical subjects can be painted in a colorist and expressive style.
In Italy the classical current had Florence and Bologna for champions. According to the times it takes the name of Classicism, starting from Carrraci, Atticism, Neoclassicism, Academism.
The other current, which may be called colourist, clearly favors color on the drawing. This school of painting does not necessarily draw the picture before painting it. She paints directly on the canvas without going through the drawing, or at least a precise drawing. It can be said that this school draws with colors. The Colorist current also allows a touch less finite, less perfect, less detailed, and accepts completed tables closest the sketch. Also, but it is not an absolute rule, he prefers the expression of feelings to their sobriety and movement to stability.

The colorist current has taken various names according to the epochs: Mannerism, Baroque, Rococo, Romanticism, Impressionism, Fauvism, Expressionism …
Throughout the history of European painting many have been the painters who borrowed from each of these two currents. The whole school of French painting, under Louis XIII and Louis XIV, is a subtle blend of classicism and baroque, with more classic or more baroque accents, according to the epochs and the painters.
France has maintained the quarrel between the partisans of Rubens ((Colourism Baroque)), opposed to the partisans of Poussin (Classic).

In the 18th century in Italy Giambattista Tiepolo (1696-1770) and his sons are notable representatives of the colourist tradition, mannerist, baroque, called in their time the rococo. With a century in advance they prefer the sketch, the fuzzy, chopped touch. They practice the effects of light which are very precursors of Impressionism. Their themes are always those of Catholic Europe: an almost equal division between religious representations, treated without much belief, as skeptics, for they are very representative of the Enlightenment, and the historical and mythological themes.